1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device that will provide a uniform emission rate of a lure providing maximum attraction for flying insects for an extended period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such lures are currently employed to detect and monitor for the presence of insect and other species that respond to lure-baited traps; e.g., the Mediterranean fruit fly (or medfly), melon fly, codling moth, mosquitoes, etc.
The information derived is used to determine where and when control measures—such as insecticide applications, sterile-insect release, mass trapping—are to be applied. The operation makes for a very efficient means of controlling or eradicating the targeted species from infested areas (especially large ones), and therefore is highly desirable from an agricultural and ecological standpoint. If pesticide is to be used, the procedure allows it to be applied only were needed and only as long as needed to effect control or eradication of the targeted species. Thus, the environment becomes less contaminated, and money is saved because less insecticide is used. Also noteworthy, the lure-baited traps have enabled eradication of such insect pests as the medfly, gypsy moth, boll weevil, melon fly from extensive areas of the United States.
Currently such traps, e.g., for the medfly, are manually examined every 2 to 3 weeks for medflies and for rebaiting of the lure, However, a new detection procedure has been advanced to replace the current one (patent application Ser. No. 10/097,629). With this procedure, the need for manual inspection of traps for detection of targeted insects can be extended to at least several months. However, a means that would likewise extend (without rebaiting of the lure) the uniform emission of the lure for a much longer period—e.g., for 2 or 3 month—was likewise needed. The lure dispenser described below has been devised to accomplish this task.